Review: Smitten Ice Cream in San Francisco

Smitten Ice Cream in Hayes Valley. Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan

*This is part of our series this week on San Francisco.* I’ve been wanting to try Smitten Ice Cream in San Francisco for a long time and am glad I finally did, on a recent trip to the city. We went to the flagship location in Hayes Valley, which looks a bit like a pop up store. It’s quite charming. Most of the Smittens are in San Francisco and other Bay Area cities, but there are now two in southern CA as well.  Continue reading “Review: Smitten Ice Cream in San Francisco”

Treat of the Day: A La Mode in Cranford

You may recall we reviewed 10 Below, a new rolled ice cream store in New York City a few years back. The trend continues, evidenced by the recent opening of A La Mode in Cranford. This is Union County’s first rolled ice cream store. We stopped by earlier this week and indulged, as well as chatted with the owners, Dan and Kevin, friends from childhood in Kenilworth. They both worked at Galloping Hill Golf Course before this, and Kevin may go culinary school in the future – he’s the ice cream base maker.

A Halloween concoction with a ghost Peep. Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan

What is rolled ice cream? Continue reading “Treat of the Day: A La Mode in Cranford”

Treat of the Day: Magnum Ice Cream Bars in Soho

I was wandering through Soho last month and passed a store I hadn’t see there before. With a big ice cream bar in the window, of course I went inside. This is the new Magnum seasonal store at 134 Prince Street. It opened in April.

It’s glitzy and fun and would please any child and adult. Here’s how it works. At the counter you choose your ice cream type (hormone-free chocolate or vanilla), chocolate dipping type (Belgian dark, milk or white chocolate) and three toppings (they have 20 to choose from).

Magnum's pop-up store is in Soho through mid-August. Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan
Magnum’s pop-up store is in Soho through mid-August. Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan

Toppings include Continue reading “Treat of the Day: Magnum Ice Cream Bars in Soho”

Treat of the Day: 10 Below Ice Cream in Chinatown

When I heard about the new ice cream place called 10 Below in Chinatown, where they made the ice cream in front of you in two minutes, I knew we had to go. Soon! I saw these pictures of ice cream rolls with cute toppings and it was a done deal. So I told my kids that we were going into the city to get ice cream, and they thought I was nuts. Sure, we eat ice cream. A fair amount of ice cream. But planning a trip to New York City just to eat ice cream? Well, we added in a few other things on the itinerary too, but planned to get there on the early side (and on a weekday before school started) to avoid the lines.

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Don’t come to 10 Below if you’re in a hurry. You’ll have to wait no matter what time you come.

Continue reading “Treat of the Day: 10 Below Ice Cream in Chinatown”

Treat of the Day: Rice to Riches

I have to admit, I did not actually eat at Rice to Riches. It wasn’t open yet (too early in the day), and we were on our way to Scott’s Pizza Tours, which meets nearby. But the Rice to Riches company signage was so funny and the concept so awesome, I have to believe it would be great. So if you’ve eaten there, please give us the scoop.

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I‘m not a big rice pudding fan (I also don’t hate it), but I’m dying to try this place, which has been around since 2002. Check out some of their flavors: Sex, Drugs and Rocky Road, I’ll Take Eggnog for $200, Alex; Fluent in French Toast…I like a place with humor. You can get a bit of background about Rice to Riches, the concept development and its quirky founder in this New York Times story. Continue reading “Treat of the Day: Rice to Riches”

Treat of the Day: Doughnuttery

If you haven’t been to Chelsea Market, you’re missing out. It’s one place we bring almost all visitors who want to see New York City. But that’s a whole other post.

One section of Chelsea Market has a an open area with a bunch of small vendors, mostly selling food. The Doughnuttery was new from our previous visit, and we ordered a few of their little doughnuts.

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Their schtick is that they make them fresh and you choose what kind of sugar you want on them. you can see the sugars on the shelf above (and the menu is below). Continue reading “Treat of the Day: Doughnuttery”

Treat of the Day: House of Cupcakes

French Toast cupcake - a winner!
French Toast cupcake – a winner!

We spent last Saturday in Princeton, picking up the race packet for the Princeton half-marathon for the next day No, I wasn’t running, hubby was. But we wanted to spend the gorgeous sunny day, bursting with fall leaf goodness, walking around the Princeton campus and downtown. Look for a post on that coming soon.

We’re always on the lookout for treats – to hold over the kids’ heads if they are good during the day. I spotted the House of Cupcakes after leaving the parking garage on Spring Street, near Witherspoon. I hadn’t done my research. I didn’t know that the House of Cupcakes won the 2011 Cupcake Wars competition on the Food Network (well, I didn’t know until I read their sign in the window). Continue reading “Treat of the Day: House of Cupcakes”

Treat of the Day: Sugar and Plumm, Purveyors of Yumm

Just a few days after Easter, I thought I’d tempt you with come Easter candy – and some that’s not specifically for the holiday. This treat of the day comes to you from Sugar and Plumm, with stores in Paramus, NJ and the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Pictures are from the latter location, just around the corner from the American Museum of Natural History, where ironically we were seeing an exhibit on whales.

This chocolate egg crate is all edible! And costs $45. Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan
Ahhh the chocolates...Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan
Ahhh the chocolates…Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan

These chocolates came in flavors like Continue reading “Treat of the Day: Sugar and Plumm, Purveyors of Yumm”